The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1887-03-01
THk FIRE RECORD.
Destructive Fire on the Morgan Line Steam
ship Pier-1Loss About 100000.


ship Pier-1Loss About 100000.
NEW YORK, Feb. 28.-At 6:25 o'clock this
morning fire broke out OH Pier 81, North river
owned by the Morgan-line Steamship Company
and used as discharging pier for freight. The
total loss viii be about $3.50 900 to $i00 000 The
fire originated on board the lighter Lorena,
which was moored at The extreme end Of the
dock. ,ohe watchman saw smoke issuing from
the center of pile of cotton on the Lorena. and
started to give the alarm. There was no one on
the pier at the time, and before the watchman
reached the alarm box the cotton was blazing
fnriously, and dense clouds of smoke were blown
snto the sheds. BY the time the firemen arrived
the pier ablaze On the north side of the
pier was the steamer Lone Star. which collided
with the steamer Wells City few weeks ago.
and on the south side the steamer City Of
New York. Between the Stonngton pier, on the
south eide. ard the Guion-line pier. on the north
side, there were moored eight lighters loaded
with cotton. The wind was blowing furious
gale in northeasterly direction and as the cot
ton on the pier caught fire the smoke filled the
street. so that it was not possible to see any dis
tance. The blaze was beating down on the
steamer Lone Star and it was only few min
utes before she was on fire. The fire-patrol
boatmen made several attempts to get the
steamer out from the fire 1t was low tide and
she was grounded. Three OF the Pennsylvania
Railroad Company's tugs helped the patrol and
at last the Lone Star was towed out into the
river and streams of water were played on her.
She was towed over to the other shore and left
in charge Of two tugs. She is almost totally
destroyed. She was built about twelve years
ago, and coat $225,0 She has deprecated in
.valsSe sssca that time, and the loss son her will
probably be about 500 900, on which there is no
insaEanse
attention was turned to the steamer City of
New York. and she was towed into mid stream
without being injured This was at o'clock,
and Chief McCii and twelve of his. men had
managed to reach the end OF the pier. They
were trying to work their way TO the lighter
Lorena when one of their number happened to
glance behind him, and in an excited manner he
exclaimed: Good God, boys, we are hemmed
in., The chief looked in the direction of the
street and saw that the whole front of the pier
was ablaze and that their means Of escape were
cut off. The men rushed to the side of the pier
and got out on the string g-piece. Every minute
the fire from both ends was fast sweeping toward
them. The smoke was so sufocating that twas
difficult 10 breathe. Their only hope for escape
to jump into the water and take their
chances of being able to swim ashore through a
gulf of fire The water was filled with burning
bales of cotton. Chief McGill mustered his men
around him, and they played on the fire with
the stream which they had run on to the
pier, hoping that for time they would beat
back the flames. The fire surrounded the hose
and it melted In short time When this gave
out, Chief McGili called his men about him and
said: Boys the only thing for US to do now is
to risk swimming" Just as he was about to
jump ipto the water one of themen spied the tug
boat d. NJ. Cox. She was brought to the dock
and Chief McGill and his men were taken on
board without any one being hurt The mer
were no sooner on board the tug than word was
brought to them that Henry Wyatt one of the
IN NJ fhn cfo Sfnr yoH Ht,y
In the Office which was short distance from
the entrance the water-side of the pier. The
firsmen passed him an axe and he tried to cut
his way out He wns almost overcome, and his
efforts were very weak. The window was priee
open and he was dragged out in an nsensibl,
condition On the dock were 800 bales of cot
ton and on the eight barges $500 oales, maxim.
In all about 4, GOO bales.